Modern Sociological Theory, 7.5 credits (halftime periods 1 and 2)

This course gives an overview of modern sociological theory and a deeper understanding of some modern sociological theorists and perspektives.

With ”modern sociological theory” is understood the period after the decline of functionalism around 1960 and until today. To the most prominent theoretical sociologists in the latter half of the 20th century belong Pierre Bourdieu, Michel Foucault, Anthony Giddens, Erving Goffman and Jürgen Habermas.

The list is made up of male sociologists and reflects the male dominance we have seen in sociology until recently. Among the more significant developments in modern sociological theory has been the rise of feminist perspectives to challenge this male dominance. Other important fields and perspectives in recent sociology are cultural theory, rational choie and structural analysis.